The
Roman God MarsThe way of the Romans was to adopt various elements from other cultures and civilisations.
This included the Roman religion
which was highly influenced by the
Ancient Greek religion and gave the
Greek God names the equivalent Roman
names. The Roman priests then
adopted the mythology or stories
about the Gods and Goddesses and
evolved a Roman Gods Family tree
detailing how each of the Roman Gods
and Goddesses, like Mars, were
related.

Greek and Roman religion and mythology therefore
become closely entwined.

Mythology: Mythical Family
Tree or Relatives: Mars was believed to be the God of War. Mars was the son of Jupiter and Juno

Depiction / Description /
Symbol: a vulture, a wolf and he often carried a bloody spear.

Name of equivalent Greek God : Ares

March 23 a festival called Tubilustrium was held in
honor of Mars

Sacrifices to Mars - During sacrifices to the
Roman gods the sex of the victim had to correspond to the sex of the
god to whom it was offered. White animals were given to the gods of
the upper world whereas black victims to the gods of the underworld

Roman Festivals
consecrated to MarsPractically the whole month
of March was consecrated to Mars, the God of War. The god
Mars was also associated with the growth of vegetation. His
special festivals (Feriae Marti) in March were of a warlike character: on the 9th
of March the priests (Salii)
began the ancient custom of carrying his sacred shields (ancilia)
round the town from one ordained resting-place to another.
The Salii priests wore the
full war-dress (trabea and tunica picta ) and performed a sacred
dance and
song round the city accompanied by war trumpets. On the 19th, Quinquatrus,
the sacred shields of Mars were solemnly purified, and on
the 23rd March the same ceremony was performed with the
war-trumpets. His altar was in the Campus Martius,
outside the city-walls and horse races were celebrated in
his honor. The races of the war-horse were called Equirria on March 14 and
February 27, and
the great race was run on the Ides of October.